If we've crossed paths this year, you've probably heard me go on and on about how Nana Grizol is my favorite thing of the year (thanks for humoring me btw). More than Mad Men, Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea , and coconut almond chocolate chip ice cream, I could be trapped on a desert island (or snowed in) with a stereo and the Nana Grizol album Love It Love it and be happy. As a matter of fact, one of my goals of 2009 is to get to a Nana Grizol show and plant myself front and center (and not to faint from giddiness).

So, it's no surprise they topped my Top 10 for 2008 (otherwise known as "The albums that I think everyone should own and listen to on repeat"):

1. Love It Love It by Nana Grizol (Orange Twin)
2. Hold on Now, Youngster… by Los Campesinos! (Arts and Crafts)
3. Choose Yr Own Adventure by The Pharmacy (Don't Stop Believin')
4. Mingle by The Saturday Knights (Light in the Attic)
5. Feed The Animals by Girl Talk (Illegal Art)
6. Volume One by She and Him (Merge)
7. Lavalogy by Hot Lava (Bar None)
8. Caffeine, Alchohol, Sunshine, Money by Jared Mees and the Grown Children (Tender Loving Empire)
9. The High Decibels by The High Decibels (Rollin Jack)
10. Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold by The Pica Beats (Hardly Art)

 

One of my end of the year rituals is to compile my favorites of the year into a single mix tape / cd / playlist. For me, this year has been ripe with songs I've listened to on repeat. So many so, I actually had to cut out some so that I didn't alienate the casual mix tape listener. After a casual polling of my friends, I found that four-cd mix isn't all that digestible.

So, I culled it down to this playlist of non-stop winner batch of tunes (to be listened to in this order):

{If you do burn a cd of these songs, here a PDF of cd case ready cover art for it. Me, obsessive? No.}

1.   Nana Grizol –
      “Circles 'Round The Moon”
      from Love It Love It 

2.   Bears –
      “Since I Met You”
      from the Summer Tour EP and also from Simple Machinery

3.   Gina Young –
      “If I Could Wake Up”
      from 3AM Voice

4 .  The Pharmacy – “Little Toys On A Shelf”
      from Choose Yr Own Adventure

5.   Jared Mees & the Grown Children – “the tallest building in hell”
      from Caffeine, Alchohol, Sunshine, Money

6.   Hello Seahorse – “Won’t Say Anything” from Hoy A Las Ocho

7.   Los Campesinos! – “Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1” from We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
{It's kinda unfair that Los Campesinos! released two albums domestically in one year, so although in official terms the January 2008 release is the bestest album, this song is sooo very 2008 for me.}

8.   The Pica Beats – “Cognac & Rum” from Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold

9.   She & Him – “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” from Volume One

10.   Girl Talk – “In Step” from Feed The Animals

11.   Hot Lava – “Apple+Option+Fire” from Lavalogy

12.   The High Decibels – “That Dude” from The High Decibels EP

13.   Cars Can Be Blue – “Coat Tails” from Doubly Unbeatable

14.   Matt and Kim – “Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare” from Grand* {releases January 20, 2009}
(*Yeah, the album releases in 2009, but I listened to this single over and over to the point that it will always bring late 2008 to mind.)

15.   The Saturday Knights – “Dog Park” from Mingle

16.   The Death Set – “Impossible” from Worldwide

17.   The Smittens – “Something Sassy” from The Coolest Thing About Love

18.   Miniature Tigers – “The Wolf” from Tell It To The Volcano

19.   Kevin Devine – “You'll Only End Up Joining Them” from Put Your Ghost To Rest

20.   Conor Oberst – “NYC-Gone, Gone” from Conor Oberst

21.   Throw Me The Statue – “About To Walk” from Moonbeams

22.   Red Pony Clock – “Don't Forget Who Your Friends Are” from God Made Dirt

23.   Keith John Adams – “imaginary girls” from 43 Personal Songs {more info here}

If you want to hear any of the albums on *imaginary liz's Best of 2008 mix*, here's a handy link to buy any of the albums featured on the compilation.

(Thanks to Rick at Seattle Show Posters for the cover art inspiration!)